News

How I Escaped Assassination, Atiku’s Rivers Campaign DG Narrates

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2023

Abiye Sekibo, Atiku's Rivers Campaign DG

The Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, who escaped an assassination attempt by the whiskers Thursday midnight, said he never knew “it was so easy to die”.

Sekibo, who spoke on Arise TV on Sunday, narrated how he was attacked while going to a rally venue after receiving information that the venue was on fire.

“We thank God for His mercy. I never knew it was so easy to just die like that.

“Late in the night on Thursday, I got the message that the venue for the PDP presidential campaign rally was on fire. I said ‘how is this possible?”, he stated.

The campaign DG said he decided to go to the venue of the incident, saying when he stopped and saw from a distance, “I could see Hilux vehicles parked on the right side of the road and fire coming out of the proposed (rally) venue, and I drove past.”

“As I drove past, I told the driver to turn around; by this time, the persons in those vehicles had come out; people in police uniforms.

“As we were coming back, the next thing (I noticed) was a rain of bullets and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” the DG narrated.

Narrating how he escaped being killed, Sekibo said he and his driver had to stop when they got to a place where people queued at a filling station.

He said after some five minutes, those Hilux vehicles sped past them.

The PUNCH reports that the governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, while reacting to the incident said he never sponsored any assassination attempt on anybody.

“Let me use this opportunity to debunk an allegation that some persons may have made that one Abiye Sekibo said that I sponsored an attempted assassination on his life.

“I want to state categorically clear; all of us from Rivers State know who is who. We know who has killed so many people in this state,” Wike said during a rally at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

News

Senate Confirms Olubunmi Adetunmbi Chairman Of South-West Development Commission, MD, Others

Published

30 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi from Ekiti State as the Chairman of the South-West Development Commission (SWDC).

Also confirmed was Charles Akinola as the Managing Director of the commission, alongside 16 other nominees to serve on the board.

The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of the report by the Senate Committee on South-West Development Commission, chaired by Senator Yunus Akintunde (APC, Oyo Central).

While presenting the report, Senator Akintunde said: “That the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on the South-West Development Commission on the confirmation of nominations for appointment as Chairman, Managing Director, and Members of the Board of the South-West Development Commission.”

The confirmed board members include:

Bolaji Ariyo

Joseph Olugbenga

Scholastica Omoworare

Olumuyiwa Olabimtan

Ibrahim Olaifa

Kabiru Lakwaya

Abdul Adamu (Retired General)

Arinola Fagbemi

Ukoha Onyekwere

Howell Ihenacho

Also confirmed were:

Olugbenga Olufehinti – Executive Director, Projects

Tele Ogunjobi – Executive Director, Finance

Funmilayo Tejuosho – Executive Director, Corporate Services

Fatai Ibikunle – Executive Director, Commercial and Environmental Development

Lateef Ajijola – Executive Director, Social and Human Capital Development

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had last month forwarded the list of nominees to the Senate, requesting their screening and confirmation as members of the SWDC board.

The request was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary and subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on South-West Development Commission, which was given one week to report back.

With the confirmation, the South-West Development Commission board is now fully constituted and expected to commence work aimed at driving regional development across the six South-West states.

News

NDLEA Seizes 91.768kg Of Cannabis Sativa, Psychotropic Substances In Ebonyi

Published

1 hour ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

The Ebonyi Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it recorded a total seizure of 91.768kg of cannabis sativa and psychotropic substances from January to date.

The state Commander, Mr Okechukwu Nkere, disclosed this during a news conference in Abakaliki to commemorate the 2025 United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Trafficking.

Nkere said that the 2025 celebration, tagged “The Evidence is Clear; Invest in Prevention,” was to advocate, educate and enlighten members of the society to resist the pressure of succumbing to abuse of drugs and illicit substances.

“The Command also arrested a total of 212 suspects, comprising 169 males and 43 females, for various degrees of complicity in drug-related offenses.

“Within the period, we record a total seizure of 91.768kg of cannabis sativa and psychotropic substances and the conviction of seven persons.

“We successfully treated and rehabilitated seven clients and have 11 persons currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, while 83 males and 21 females were provided with brief counselling intervention in our facility,” Nkere said.

The commander added that the command had also carried out public enlightenment campaigns in schools, communities and religious places across the three senatorial zones in Ebonyi.

He warned the general public, especially the youths, to desist from drug abuse, stating that there was no positive impact of illicit drugs on man and society.

He commended the support from the Ebonyi Government and other stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.

News

Senate Confirms Olubunmi Adetunmbi Chairman Of South-West Development Commission, MD, Others

Published

1 hour ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi from Ekiti State as the Chairman of the South-West Development Commission (SWDC).

Also confirmed was Charles Akinola as the Managing Director of the commission, alongside 16 other nominees to serve on the board.

The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of the report by the Senate Committee on South-West Development Commission, chaired by Senator Yunus Akintunde (APC, Oyo Central).

The confirmed board members include:

Bolaji Ariyo

Joseph Olugbenga

Scholastica Omoworare

Olumuyiwa Olabimtan

Ibrahim Olaifa

Kabiru Lakwaya

Abdul Adamu (Retired General)

Arinola Fagbemi

Ukoha Onyekwere

Howell Ihenacho

Also confirmed were:

Olugbenga Olufehinti – Executive Director, Projects.

Tele Ogunjobi – Executive Director, Finance

Funmilayo Tejuosho – Executive Director, Corporate Services

Fatai Ibikunle – Executive Director, Commercial and Environmental Development

Lateef Ajijola – Executive Director, Social and Human Capital Development

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had last month forwarded the list of nominees to the Senate, requesting their screening and confirmation as members of the SWDC board.

With the confirmation, the South-West Development Commission board is now fully constituted and expected to commence work aimed at driving regional development across the six South-West states.